Standing Here
by Angel of Fire SG1
Summary: It was his last day at the SGC, and his last day before he left for Washington, he was going to miss it, but it was worth it...(JackSam)


**Author: **_Angel of Fire SG1  
_**Rating: **_K+  
_**Spoilers: **_Threads  
_**Season: **_8…9?  
_**Pairings: **_Sam/Jack  
_**  
A/N: **_Hope you enjoy :D I know I have long fics to update but this came to me and wanted to be written…

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**_Standing Here_**

Jack O'Neill stood at the briefing room window, staring out over the gate room at the Stargate itself. It was a strange feeling, standing there, the last day at his job. The place had consumed the last eight years of his life, nine if he included the original Abydos mission. But he wasn't a part of the action anymore, and if he couldn't make a difference personally he had other things that needed attending to.

"Uh, Jack I was just looking through that stuff Catherine left me and I found this…"

Jack turned around to face Daniel Jackson. He held up some kind of stone with the Eye of Ra engraved into it.

"Interesting," Jack said, hearing his own sarcasm and wincing at it.

"I just thought you might like to keep it, you know…since you're leaving and all," Daniel held it out to.

Jack forced a smile. "Thanks Daniel, just what I always wanted."

Daniel seemed to take it as an answer, although Jack knew that after years of experience Daniel knew better than to think Jack would actually care that much about a rock, of any kind.

"So…when do you head out to Washington?" Daniel asked.

"Tomorrow morning actually…" Jack said.

Daniel's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't think you started your new job till next week?"

"No, but I have…other things…I have to sort out before I start my new job," Jack replied.

"Like what?" Daniel asked.

"Like things," Jack muttered, passing Daniel and subconsciously walking back into his office, even though it was entirely empty, bar the desk and his chair.

"Like things to do with Sam?" Daniel asked.

"Like things that have nothing to do with you Daniel," Jack muttered.

"Like Sam…" Daniel was grinning at him from the doorway.

Jack sat down in the General's chair, which he had to remind himself no longer belonged to him.

"Ok fine, like Sam," Jack replied. "Now would you leave it alone?"

"Thought so," Daniel was still grinning.

"Daniel…leave it alone," Jack said.

"Sam's not going to be in Washington for two more days you know, you could delay?" Daniel said.

"The removal van will be there tomorrow afternoon, I need to be there Daniel," Jack said.

"Well how about one last night out with the guys?" he suggested.

Jack thought a bout it for a moment. He was going to miss this place, but most of all he was going to miss SG-1, although strictly speaking he hadn't been a part of SG-1 for almost a year.

"Sure, why not," Jack said. "My place, 1800 hours?"

"I'll make sure I tell Teal'c," Daniel said, turning around and leaving.

Jack sighed, staring at his surroundings. Yep he was going to miss this place.

He heard a small knock at the door and looked up. Standing where Daniel had been only moments earlier was Samantha Carter, half the reason he was moving jobs, even if it meant moving halfway across the country.

"Can I come in?" she asked, smiling.

"Of course," he said, signalling to the chair in front of his desk.

She came in, looking around. "It seems so empty…"

"Yeah, you could say that," Jack replied.

"It's not going to be the same around here without you, sir," she said, sitting down.

"Drop the sir, Carter," he said.

"Drop the Carter, sir," she shot back.

"OK…Sam…" he said.

Silence fell over the room. They hadn't talked properly, while they both knew that an understanding had passed between them in that room before her father had died, while he knew she'd broken it off with Pete, they still hadn't sat down and discussed it properly. In fact they'd avoided the topic completely.

But they hadn't avoided each other, they'd spent more time with each other than they ever had.

"So Daniel says you're heading out tomorrow morning?" Sam broke the silence, looking up at him.

"Yeah, I have to meet the removal van tomorrow afternoon and I want to be prepared," Jack said.

"Ah…" Sam said, falling silent again.

"Daniel and Teal'c are coming around tonight, did you want to join us?" Jack asked, sounding hopeful.

"You mean I wasn't invited? I'm hurt," she said, smiling at him. "I'd love to come."

"That's…great," Jack said, smiling back.

"So I guess I'll see you then," she said, standing up.

"Yeah, I'll see you then," he replied.

She smiled and nodded before turning and leaving the room. He watched her leave, knowing it was the last time he'd see her walk out of his office and across the briefing room. He looked at his watch, 1702, he had one hour to get out of there and back to his place before the others showed up.

He stood up and walked out into the briefing room and down the stairs to the control room. Walter sat in his chair, watching Siler as he fixed something beneath the control panel.

"You leaving, sir?" Walter asked.

"Just taking one last look around," Jack sighed.

Walter nodded.

Jack looked out at the Stargate. That was the thing he was going to miss the most. Being around the Stargate, fighting the Goa'uld, going to other planets. He'd miss that. The world outside the SGC just didn't seem the same now that he knew exactly what was out there. He knew now he would get the mission reports, and he'd still know what was going on, but he'd be far away from it all.

But it would be worth it, he reminded himself.

"OK, finished looking," Jack said. "Good luck for the future Walter…Siler…"

"Thank you sir," Walter replied.

"Yes, sir," Siler said from beneath the control panel.

Jack smiled and headed out to the change room. He pulled off his SGC uniform for the last time, putting on his civilian clothes. He shut his locker door. The '_O'Neill_' written on the door wouldn't be there for much longer, a few days time and it would be replaced by someone else's name.

He glanced once more at the lockers next to his, reading '_Teal'c_' and '_Jackson_'. He grabbed his things and headed towards the elevator.

This was goodbye…

* * *

"No more beer for, Daniel," Jack muttered.

"I'm sorry Jack, but you have had twice as much beer as me," Daniel said back, slurring his words.

"Yeah but I can hold my alcohol," he said, grabbing the beer bottle out of Daniel's hand. "You're lucky Teal'c's driving you home."

"You can't take that, it's mine!" Daniel said.

"Watch me," Jack said, walking out and pouring the beer onto his plants.

"O'Neill, is it wise to water your plants with alcohol?" Teal'c asked.

"Sure it is, I cook my barbecue's with beer…" Jack grinned at him as he came back inside, placing the empty beer bottle back on the table in front of Daniel who frowned at it.

"Favourite planet…" Daniel muttered.

"What?" Sam asked.

"What's everyone's favourite planet we've been to?" Daniel asked.

"Earth," Teal'c smiled in his way.

"Hmm…" Jack thought about it for a moment. "That planet we took those people to with the beaches…yeah, that's my favourite."

"Sam?" Daniel asked.

"I dunno, we've been to so many…" she replied. "Most of them run by the Goa'uld…Oh I know. Hebridan."

She was grinning, and only after a few moments of blank stares did she realise that the others had no idea where she was talking about.

"The space race planet," she said. "With Warrick..."

"Oh," Jack said. "Yeah…you would."

She smiled at him shyly before quickly looking away. The look didn't go unnoticed by Daniel or Teal'c, and Jack knew it. They'd been there for a few hours, talking, reliving memories.

"I'll have to say Abydos…personal attachment," Daniel said.

They all nodded in agreement before a small silence fell upon them.

"Favourite spaceship," Sam suggested.

"Goa'uld mothership," Jack grinned.

"Cargo ship," Daniel said.

"I am in agreement with DanielJackson," Teal'c said.

"Really?" Jack asked, turning to them. "I always thought those things were slow and useless…"

"I'd have to say the Asguard ships," Sam said.

"Oh yeah, forgot about them…" Jack muttered.

"Or that Puddle Jumper we got from Maybourne's planet," Sam said.

"Puddle jumper?" Jack looked at her.

"Oh…the Atlantis team call them Puddle Jumpers," Sam replied.

"Oh yeah," Jack said.

"Favourite movie?" Teal'c said suddenly.

The three of them looked at him in surprise.

"Movie?" Jack repeated.

"We have conversed about all forms of off-planet travel, I decided to discuss Earth-related things for a moment," Teal'c said.

"Oh we still got plenty of things about off-world travel to discuss…" Jack said, grinning slightly.

"Indiana Jones," Daniel said.

"I think I'll have to go with Teal'c on this one…Star Wars," Sam replied.

"I did not state my favourite movie," Teal'c said.

"As if we don't know, Teal'c," Daniel replied.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at him.

"Does the Simpsons count?" Jack asked.

They all thought about it for a moment.

"I guess…" Sam said.

"Excellent," Jack replied.

"Favourite memory since joining the SGC?" Sam said.

"Meeting Sha're," Daniel said, his smile disappearing.

"Bringing freedom to the Jaffa," Teal'c said.

"Stepping through the gate for the first time…oh well…being pushed through the gate," Sam said, looking at Jack.

Jack paused, it was his turn. He didn't know what to say, there was so much that had happened. Then it hit him, his favourite moment since he had joined the SGC. But he couldn't say that in front of people, could he? Well maybe if he broadened it…

"The timeloop," he said.

A small smile crept onto Teal'c's face as he too remembered the timeloop they had both been stuck in.

"Yes, what happened in that exactly?" Daniel asked.

"Oh…you know…stuff," Jack said.

"You're good at being vague when it comes to…"

"Ah!" Jack said, cutting him off, knowing exactly what he was going to say.

"Yeah I thought so," Daniel grinned at him drunkenly.

"I think it's time for a movie," Jack said, standing up.

"Star Wars," Teal'c suggested.

"I don't own Star Wars…" Jack replied.

"I do," Teal'c said, producing the DVD's.

Jack rolled his eyes and held his hand out. "One, and one only…"

Teal'c picked one and handed it to him. Jack read the cover "_The Empire Strikes Back_". He shoved it into the DVD player and pressed play. Then he dimmed the lights before returning to the couch.

Daniel and Teal'c moved their chairs into a position where they could also see the TV. Not that Teal'c needed to, he knew the movie off-by-heart.

Jack however had never seen a Star Wars movie in his life. He had to admit it wasn't so bad. The space battles, while once had bored him out of their inability to be real, now reminded him of a time in his past which he had loved so much.

He felt a slight pressure on his shoulder and looked down to see Sam lightly rested her head on his shoulder. It surprised him, that she would be so open. But then again they were a few beers down and technically he was no longer her CO.

He was no longer her CO…

The realisation hit him like a rock. For the first time since he'd met her there were no regulations preventing them from being together, on acting upon the feelings they'd hidden for so long.

She seemed cautious about having her head on his shoulder, he could barely feel it there. He showed her permission by leaning his head against the top of hers. She relaxed and lay her full weight on his shoulder.

He looked down at her hand, it lay next to his on the sofa, although they weren't touching it was close enough…he reached over and took her hand. She intertwined her fingers between his and he suddenly lost all interest in the movie playing before them. Teal'c, again, was completely sucked in, and Daniel had fallen asleep in his chair, sprawled in what looked like an incredibly uncomfortable position.

"Hey…can I talk to you?" Jack whispered quietly.

Sam sat up and looked at him. "Here?"

"Out there," he said, nodding at the door leading outside.

"Ok…" Sam said, sounding unsure.

They stood up and headed towards the door. Jack didn't miss the look Teal'c gave them as they walked outside, hands still joined.

"So…" Sam said, as Jack shut the door behind them.

"I…well, as you know I'm no longer your CO…and I'm going to Washington tomorrow…" Jack said, slowly.

She looked at him curiously. "Yes…"

"And you're going to Washington in a couple of days…" he continued, still unsure of exactly what he wanted to say.

"Yes…" she said.

"Well…I was thinking maybe…we could have dinner some time?" he said.

There it was out.

A slow smile spread across her face and she looked away for a moment before looking back up into his eyes.

"Jack O'Neill I would love to have dinner some time," she replied.

"That's good," Jack replied.

She was smiling in a way he'd never seen her smile before. The happiness on her face made him feel even happier than he already was. He was also extremely aware of the closeness between them, and the fact that their hands were still joined.

"Did you want to go back inside or stay out here for a while?" Jack asked.

"Actually I was thinking we could go up to your telescope and try find some of the planets we've been to…" Sam said.

"Really?" Jack looked at her in surprise. "I thought most of the planets we've been too can't be seen from Earth."

"Well…I'm sure we could find a couple," Sam grinned at him.

"Ok…" he replied.

But neither of them moved. He looked into her eyes, seeing some kind of longing in there. He wanted to much to lean forward and kiss her, something he hadn't done since that time loop four years earlier, but he was hesitant. He was so unsure of himself, they had spent so long denying their feelings that to him it seemed strange to even be in the dilemma that lay before him.

"Sam…" he said quietly.

Her first name seemed unfamiliar to his lips, spoken only inside his head for so long.

"Yes…" she said, an answer, not a question.

They closed the distance between them. It felt strange for a moment, but after a few seconds it felt as though it was meant to be that way. And he knew, he'd always known, it was meant to be that way. She moved her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. It was a soft kiss and not one meant to last a long time. More of a sealing of what they both knew existed.

Jack pulled back, looking into her eyes.

"So…the telescope?" he said.

She smiled back at him. "Ya sure ya betcha…"

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End file.
